God's Many Blessings: Day 7

61. beautiful birds

62. the smell of a burning fire

63. my daughter's excitement over her colored duck tape and goldfish crackers

64. my son's thoughtfulness for his girlfriend

65. loving nieces and nephews

66. step-families

67. the small heater under my desk

68. meeting beautiful people through blogs

69. the joy on my daughters face riding her new bike

70. little sister helping her big brother with his senior project

Super Excited about a Blog I found today!!

I am soooo excited today!  I found a blog today that moved me to tears and probably not for the reasons most of you would think.   I have struggled ALL my life with being able to stay focused enough to clean.  My bedroom, my school desks, my school locker and now my house.  I never really understood why especially when I had no problems going and cleaning someone else's home.  It has brought me much frustration, shame and embarrassment over the years and continues today.  Several years ago when researching ADHD for one of my children I discovered I had ADD (attention deficit disorder), finally an answer to why! Well of course I figured I lived this long with it I was too old to worry about seeing a doctor for it.

About a month ago, after many long years of struggling with keeping my mind focused I finally decided to meet with my doctor.  Cleaning and organizing my home was not my biggest struggle with ADD but one that caused some issues. My biggest problem was anxiety and allowing my mind to wonder into the world of what ifs and self doubt.  If I made a decision I almost instantly would wonder if I had made the right decision, was I going to upset someone with that decision.  So I went to the doctor and to my amazement (and yet another confirmation I made the right decision) I had gone to the doctor 6 years ago about the same thing and didn't remember it!  Wow, how do you not remember going to the doctor!  Well I have since been on medication and it seems to be helping me stay focused and not playing Satan's what if games as much.  Don't get me wrong it wasn't an instant fix but it does help, along with spending daily time with God. 

God has been with me on the crazy journey and guiding me to make the right decisions.  He confirmed that for me today by directing me to a blog called "time-warp-wife.blogspot.com" by Darlene Schacht.  She has some amazing stuff on her blog:  lists, schedules, stuff on marriage, kids, cleaning.  She even has things you can print out to help.  One of her posts caught my eye:  "Domestically Challenged?", well of course I am!!!  I started reading her post and she talks about having ADHD and her struggle with being domestic and all I could think was THANK YOU GOD!!!  Just what I needed today, just what I needed to read. Tears welled up in my eyes as I read, it was as if she was describing me.  I have been wanting to be more hospitable and have family and friends over but I have always been to embarrassed.  I'm not Betty homemaker or June Cleaver.  I struggle!  BUT.......this is the best part.....but I know I am still a work in progress and God is guiding me to be better.  God is showering me with rain of mercy and grace and I am incredibly grateful.    To Darlene, thank you for being brave, honest and inspiring!  God's glory is shining through you and your blog. 

Oh Lord God Almighty~thank you, thank you, thank you!  You are always with me, guiding me and molding me into your imagine.  I know I have a long journey ahead of me and I anticipate with great joy to see the woman You call me to be. Thank you for your grace, mercy and unconditional love.  Thank you for your gift of salvation.  For in Your Son's beautiful and holy name I pray, Amen! 

She also has a website.  Please check it out!

http://www.timewarpwife.com/

http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2011/09/domestically-challenged-and-titus-2sday.html

God's Many Blessings: Day 6

Well seeing as how I completely missed numbered my blessings I am catching up today with 31-40.  And I am finally able to say, I have re-started the book "one thousand gifts"!!!

31. being created perfectly imperfect

32. photography

33. rainy movie day with my daughter

34. big brothers' hugs

35. the smell of the bathroom after my husband gets ready for work

36. orange cinnamon rolls

37. cozy blankets made by my mom with love

38. long distant friends

39. my 5 year old niece's giggle

40. The Hallmark Channel

Lord God, I thank you so much for making me perfectly imperfect!  Thank you for the grace that covers my short comings.  Thank you for reminding me that you love me just as I am and nothing about me is a surprise to you.  Lord I pray you will embrace those that are hurting and sick, you know who they are.  I lift them into your loving presence.  In Christ's name, Amen.

www.onethousandgifts.com

Wearing knew habits!

"When you can't sleep and restlessness sets in, remember... Psalm 63:6-7: On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings."

    Samantha Reed

The above is a from one of the daily devotion emails I get from Proverbs 31 Ministries. The whole devotion by Samanta Reed was great but the last part of this particular verse stuck out at me.  Probably because of my love for singing.  I also keep up with Ann Voskamp's "A holy experience" and "one thousand gifts" and today Ann was talking about wearing habits and creating new habits.  As I was thinking of how to wear new habits that would bring glory to God, I thought of the verse "I sing in the shadow of your wings".  What a wonderful imagine! Under the wing of God singing His praise, how glorious would that be!  My new habit is to intentually sing praise to God daily and come into His presence. I pray that in doing so He will renew me daily as I find rest in the shadow of His wings.

God's Many Blessings: Day 5

<sup>Luke 1: 41-45

41</sup> When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”  (emphasis mine)

How exciting to feel the baby move in her belly at the sound of Mary's greeting!  That reminds me so much of when I was pregnant with my children.  What an amazing feeling of joy to feel the baby move but this doesn't just say that her baby moved in her womb, he leaped for joy!!!  As I read that verse in my quiet time, I instantly smiled. The verse brought joy to my heart.  Oh how precious the joy is from God when we choose to embrace it.  The past few weeks have been filled with much heartache for so many people I have been around, children going to foster care, terminal illnesses, severe injury from car collisions, depression, substance abuse.  It's easy to allow all those things to hide God's joy.  It's so easy to allow Satan to push things in our way to block the joy of God during this special time of year.  Thankfully I serve a God that allows His light to shine through the darkness Satan and this world try to push on us.  God's grace is far greater than any thing that tries to separate us from the Almighty Father.  His promises in our times of hurt, depression and anxiousness He will never leave us and just as He kept His promises to Elizabeth and Mary, He will keep the promises He has made to us.  What an amazing, loving God we serve!

51. God's light in the darkness

52. tears shed for a loved one that is hurting

53. gratefulness of a child for a small toy

54. listening to a child sing a praise song

55. loving embrace from my daughter when I am hurting for someone else

56. mom's homemade vegetable soup on a very long stressful day

57. a surprising cup of coffee from a co worker

58. God showing in little ways He's in control and still listening

59. a great place to work

60. a day off to make Christmas treats with my daughter

Lord God Almighty, all I can think to say right now is thank you!  Lord you know those who need you the most right now and I thank you for letting me know today you are handling their needs.  I love you and I am so grateful for your mercies and grace.  In Christ's name, Amen.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

My Thoughts on Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

As Christmas approaches and I ponder on the lives of Mary and Joseph.  What it must have been like to go through all they did and how it impacts us today.

My first thought is the event of an angel of God appearing not only to Mary but also to Joseph.  I try to imagine what that must have been like and how they must have been in fear and awe of the majesty.  I wonder how would I react if an angel of God appeared before me, then I hear the gentle whisper.  The gentle whisper from God reminding me, "I do still send angels".  He sends angels that look like you and me.  Angels that come into our lives at different times for different reasons that many times only God knows.  My first thought is the many times people have been delayed by someone (an angel) and in being delayed was spared from a car accident, a house fire, a crime.  Or maybe it's the stranger that shows us a random act of kindness when we are having a bad day and God knows we need to feel His love.  God has His angels at work all around us. 

My second thought about Mary and Joseph's story is the fact they had to stay in a stable.  Mary had to give birth to the Son of God in a stable filled with animals.  I wonder, did they want to tell people the child she was having was THE Son of God? Would people believe them, would it have made a difference in where they were able to stay?  Would the people in the town have treated them differently?  In a world that is now all about who you are or who you know it is hard to comprehend the most important person to be born on this earth was treated to a stable for His birth.  I think about that and again the gentle whisper of God says, "it had to be that way, it had to be a humble experience". He's right, it's not about the prestige, the fame; no it is about the Son of God coming to earth so that we could be forgiven of our sins and spend eternity in Heaven. A reminder to humble ourselves before the Almighty King and ask for forgiveness, grace, mercy and wisdom. 

Another thought that keeps running through my mind, what were Mary and Joseph thinking as they kissed the face of Jesus.  The song "Mary Did You Know" makes me think of that every time I hear it.  Did they think about kissing the face of God or did they just look at Jesus as the beautiful baby He was.  What was it like to raise the Son of God?  I, of course, will never know the answers to these questions but I do know that precious baby born over 2000 years ago was my Savior!  He was my Prince of Peace! He is the reason I know without a doubt I will spend eternity in Heaven singing praises!  Oh how blessed I am! 

Holy Father~thank you does not seem enough for the amazing gift you gave to us so many years ago.  Thank does not seem enough for the sacrifice made just for me to have forgiveness and eternal life.  Thank you Mary and Joseph for following God and raising the precious Savior!  Thank you Heavenly Father for all you have provided for me.  In Jesus precious and holy name! Amen.

God's Many Blessings: Day 4

Girlfriends in God  (Sharon Jaynes) I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18 emphasis added, NIV)

I get email devotions daily and I love them. Please check out the link above. It is so wonderful to have women willing to reach out to other women with daily encouragement.  Today's was eye opening for me today and truly moved me.  The first thought was how amazing for this 5 year old to have such knowledge and wisdom about God and to know Him as her father.  The other thing that sang out to me was the thought of so many kids that don't have a parent. They don't have someone to hug them, tell them they love them, encourage them.  So many kids do not know what it is to be loved.  It breaks my heart to think about it.  I pray they have someone in their path to let them know God loves them. Tell them God sees them.  I pray even more for God to open my eyes, ears and heart to see those opportunities to show these kids His love.  I pray God will use His children to reach the lost children of this world.  A kind word, a gentle smile or a warm hug, that's all God needs to begin to reveal His love to others.  I pray we are will to step out in faith and courage to show His love.

41. a child's giggle

42. a quiet compliment in passing

43. snuggling for 10 minutes after hitting the snooze button

44. singing in the shower

45. roasted marshmallows

46. ice cold Pepsi

47. ladies weekend retreats

48. catching up with friends/family

49. lighthouses

50. christian book stores (I could spend hours in there!)

God's Many Blessings: Day 3

Acceptance says, "This is my situation at the moment. I'll look unblinkingly at the reality of it. But I'll also open my hands to willingly accept whatever a loving Father sends."  ~ Catherine Marshall (1915-1983)

I found this in a book I have on my desk by Ron DiCianni, that particular quote came in reference to Mary's willingness to accept God's plan for her to give birth to Jesus.  As I sit here and think about Mary and the incredible situation she was in I am in awe.  I wonder, what would I do if I were in her place? How would I feel? What would be going through my mind?  Then I think, she trusted completely in her Heavenly Father.  She put all her doubts and fears at the feet of God.  And it hits me, that's what He asks us to do.  He asks us to daily put our doubts and fears at His feet. He asks us to willingly follow Him and His plan for our life.  He asks us to trust Him completely.  It is a daily struggle, sometimes a second by second struggle but one we will win if we just lay it all at His feet.

21. Daily Grace.

22. Rays of sun that shine through the clouds.

23. The crunch of fallen leaves as I walk through the yard.

24. Sunsets and Sunrises: God's painted masterpieces in the sky.

25. The wind in my hair on a cool day.

26. Moonlight shining through a window.

27. Camping with my husband and kids.

28. A peaceful body of water.

29. Fresh cut grass.

30. Overlooking mountains.

Father, I pray you will continue to work on me and remind me daily, Lord, that I am a work in progress.  Thank you for all the blessings you have provided me.  I pray Lord, you will continue to open my eyes to see your beauty around me.  In Jesus name, Amen.

God's Many Blessings: Day 2

Well my plan was to post daily 10 blessings but as you know things don't always go the way WE plan.  So I am learning to be flexible and post as I get a chance. I hope that if you are just stopping by to read this post, you will see how God can work in your life as He has done in mine.  He is not just a fairy tale to make us feel better, no He is far from a fairy tale.  He is REAL!  He is alive and working daily in our lives, we just need to look for Him and listen for His whisper.  He's that thought that pops in your head telling you to listen to a certain song, that nudging to attend church, the beautiful sky that catches your attention, a person that touches you with a kind word or smile.  That is God at work speaking to you and calling you to Him.  My prayer is that you will take the time to listen and follow Him.  The blessings below are just a glimpse into God's work.

11. Thank you Lord for reminding me it's not about my plans but YOURS! Thank you for reminding me You see the whole picture when I can only see one stroke of the picture being painted.

12. Thank you Lord for my mother being willing and able to sit with me ALL day at my daughters cheer competition even when I know she was tired and hurting.

13. Thank you Lord for giving me and my mom a pretty good sense of direction so I didn't get lost when the GPS, phone and charger all died on us.  Definitely made for good memories! 

14. Thank you Lord for a husband who loves me so much he went to the store 2 times for me when I was sick last week. That was the best ginger-ale and chicken noodle soup & saltines!

15. Thank you Lord for a strong son, who now towers over me and gives the best hugs! (And at the age of 17 still doesn't mind hugging his mom!)

16. Thank you Lord for my beautiful daughter who put everything she had into her competition this weekend. I love watching her do something she loves!

17. Thank you Lord for my daughters coaches, who put so much love and heart into all of the kids they coach.  I still don't know who was more nervous this weekend; the coaches or the kids.

18. Thank you Lord for my son's small group leader, who encourages my son and makes an effort to spend time with the guys and be a Godly example for them. 

19. Thank you Lord for reminding me not to allow my pride to make me stumble but to be content with what I am asked to do.  Also the reminder, He is also in the small parts of projects.

20. Thank you Lord for the women that write different blogs that make such an impact on my life and walk with you. Thank you for their love and desire to build up other women.  So refreshing in a world that normally encourages women to compare themselves to others.


Abba Daddy~ thank you for always being there for me.  You have provided so many different ways for me to grow in my relationship with you.  So many different ways for me to learn about you and learn from you; books, blogs, emails, songs, people, Your Word, etc.  I am so grateful to you for revealing more and more of yourself to me.  Lord I pray that you will touch anyone who reads this post, that they will feel your love.  I pray you will whisper in their ear just how much you love and care for them.  Lord I love you and thank you for all of your blessings.  In your Son's precious and holy name!!! Amen.

God's Many Blessings: Day 1

I received a book a few months back from one of my daily devotional emails called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I read a little of it but have not really taken the time to read it. (If you read my post from earlier this week then you know I am not a big fan of reading.)  Well today I came across a YouTube video of Ann Voskamp being interviewed about the book.  She spoke with such beauty and grace.  I was so impressed with her in the interview I'm greatly anticipating going home and reading the book.  She issued a dare to find God's blessings in everything, the good, the bad, the hard, the unexpected, the mundane.  I felt God's whisper as she spoke "take the challenge, accept the dare".  So that is what I am going to start today! I am going to look for God's blessings each and everyday and give thanks to the God of the Universe for loving me and raining down his Grace on me.  I encourage you to do the same, look for God in the darkness and sing praise and thanksgiving for His unwavering love. Here is the website for Ann's book.  http://www.onethousandgifts.com/

Thanking God for my Gifts!

1. A renewed marriage that grows stronger each and every day.

2. A husband that shows me unconditional love. He loves me on my good days AND on my bad days. I truly feel this is also God's way of reminding me He loves me unconditionally.  How far greater is His love for me than anyone here on earth to include my husband. I can't even wrap my mind around that.

3. A teenage son that has a heart for helping others and putting others before himself. He loves with all that he has and would sacrifice to help others in need.

4. A preteen daughter that has a love for God and a passion for singing.  She also loves helping others and was called a peacemaker by one of her guidance counselors at school.  What a compliment!

5. The beauty in my kids being content with small things or even nothing for Christmas.  I have to kind of laugh at this but my daughter has a habit of asking for funny things for Christmas and birthdays.  One year she asked for Wheat Thins and can cheese, another year for her Cocoa Krispies, this year she asked for ductape and Goldfish crackers.  It makes me smile!  And my son can't think of anything he wants for Christmas this year, doesn't make for easy shopping but warms my heart to know he doesn't put his focus on earthly things.

6. A heart that always tries to find the good in each person I meet and eyes to see each person the way God sees them.

7. God's word that chases away Satan and his demons when spoken.

8. Prayers of friends that make a difference both seen and unseen.

9. A church that refuses to conform to the world but is always willing to follow God's leading.

10. The freedom to worship God openly when so many can't. 

Oh what a wonderful God we serve!  I am in awe of His majesty and love.  I think of how unworthy I am but God does not see me as unworthy, He loves and adores me.  He tells me through His word that I am precious! He takes my flaws, my mistakes, my failures and He makes me beautiful.  I am the clay and He is my potter and thankfully I am still a work in progress.  Thank you Lord!

http://www.onethousandgifts.com/

My Beloved - Kari Jobe One of my favorite songs!

Rascal Flatts - "Mary Did You Know" ((CMA Country Christmas 2011))

Sing Praise!

Psalm 146:2 (NIV) I will praise the LORD all my life;
   I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

I LOVE to sing!!  Singing is a passion for me, whether it is listening to others sing or singing myself.  My favorite part is when I hear a song and it gives me chills, I LOVE THAT!  I believe I have always loved to sing but my true passion started in middle school.  I had an amazing chorus teacher and was blessed to have her from 6th grade all the way through 12th grade.  I also had the opportunity to take voice lessons from a great guy.  He is the first person I can remember that truly gave me chills singing a song.  I remember we were in a very small church in Columbia where he was in charge of the music.  It was a beautiful small church with amazing acoustics, no microphones needed.  He sang the Lord's Prayer accapella and I was almost in tears it was so beautiful.  Little did I know then, that was God's way of speaking to me.

After high school I didn't have a place to sing anymore.  I got busy with college, work, a child and husband.  Of course I continued singing but only at home, in the shower or in the car.  My husband and I kept feeling God nudging us to start attending church.  Around that same time my grandfather passed away and we attended his Celebration Service.  He didn't have the traditional funeral, we celebrated the fact he was with God in Heaven.  Once again I was back in a church and was being moved by music, God's music. They didn't sing sad songs, they sang happy praise music.  Shortly after that my husband and I started attending that church.  The first Sunday I must say was a wee bit scary for me.  I did attend church occasionally as a child and with friends but they were all very conservative.  You may have heard an "Amen" every once in a while.  Well this was the first Sunday at our new church and of course we were a little nervous.  The music started, which was contemporary praise band style, the young lady in front of us raised both of her hands in the air!!!  I was taken back because I had never seen anyone do that before.  I was actually thinking of running for the door.  Thankfully God didn't let me do that.  We continued to attend that church and after about 16 years we are still there.  A few things have changed with the church but God never has and never will. I am now on the praise team at church and have the privilege of singing about once a month. He continues to use music to speak to me.

I attend a women's bible study weekly and over the past few months God has opened my eyes.  He has opened my eyes to see just how much He does use music to speak to me, to lift my head, to encourage me. I've heard of the 5 Love Languages and understand everyone has a certain language that they like or that speaks to them more than other ways.  I'm starting to see that God also knows our true love language.  He knows exactly how to show His intimate love to each of us.  He knows I am not one to sit and read a book and feel His love jump off the pages.  I make myself read but it is not my favorite thing to do.  He knows I am not one to sit and watch a beautiful ballet and be moved to tears.  He knows just the right song to play at just the right time.  He puts a new song in my heart at just the right moment of weakness.  He knows just the right song when I need to be reminded of His mercies, of His grace, of His forgiveness, of His unconditional love, of His sacrifice for me.  He knows just the right song when I need to let my brokenness show through tears.  His songs embrace me, they move me, they comfort me.  As I sit and write this blog I am in awe of how amazing God is.  How He has brought me closer to Him and grown me in my walk of faith through song.  Through song I have learned that I can say I AM a beloved, cherished daughter of the Almighty King!

Abba Father~I thank you with all that I am for choosing me.  I thank you for never giving up on me even when I have turned from your path.  I thank you for choosing to know me so intimately.  I thank you for making our love language singing.  Most of all God, I thank you for giving your Son for me so that I may dwell in Heaven and continue to sing your praise. I will sing your praise as long as I live!  In Christ name! Amen!